Sydney Cove Oyster Bar wins Broome pearl meat cook-off, Masterchef alumni Maya Veit claims people’s choice

An ex-Circular Quay institution has capped off a whirlwind entrance to the Broome dining scene by winning the coveted Willie Creek Pearl Meat Cook-off trophy on Thursday night. Sydney Cove Oyster Bar’s chef-de-partie Daniel Arthur was last night crowned champion pearl meat chef at an intimate evening at Willie Creek’s Pearl Luggers store in Chinatown. Six local chefs competed for the title, including Huw Barwell who was representing defending champions Harvest Cafe. Mr Arthur and his team put together an earth-inspired serving morsel with a finger-licking smoky date puree, mildly pickled eschallots and a crispy fried kale which added an electric pop of colour. “I love this style of service — it is beautiful to just connect with people and share your food,” Mr Arthur said. “That to me is so comforting. “I really wanted to get away from the restaurant and connect back to the earth, being in Broome, and just take the seafood Broome knows well and connect it with a smoky charred earthy vegetable flavour.” And smokiness was in vogue this year, with the judges choosing Kimberley Wild Expeditions’ serving as runner up. Chef James Weeding’s smoker was an obvious presence through the evening as his team whipped up a garlic, ginger and mirin meat with a Japanese-inspired wasabi, egg yolk and vinegar sauce. The people’s choice award went to Masterchef 2021 alumni Maya Veit, whose bush foods focus at the Kimberley Quest tent had punters salivating. Ms Veit used local gubinge, Geraldton wax and boab to create a refined, delicate homage to West Australian produce. “It was a pretty amazing experience — Broome is such a surreal place to be,” she said. “This is an amazing beautiful set up tonight with the live music — I just loved it. “There are so many amazing native Australian edibles here people just don’t know about and I really wanted people to be able to try that today.” Also competing on the night were chefs from Matso’s Broome Brewery and Roebuck Bay Hotel. Sydney Cove left their historic Circular Quay premise where they had operated from for 33 years and moved to Broome at the start of the 2021 dry season.